Qilin in popular culture
The Qilin has appeared many times in works of popular culture. Literature * In Wikipedia:Jorge Luis Borges's Wikipedia:Book of Imaginary Beings, there is a section on "The Unicorn of China", of which he writes: "It is universally held that the unicorn is a supernatural being and of auspicious omen; so say the odes, the annals, the biographies of worthies, and other texts whose authority is unimpeachable. Even village women and children know that the unicorn is a lucky sign. But this animal does not figure among the barnyard animals, it is not always easy to come across, it does not lend itself to zoological classification. Nor is it like the horse or bull, the wolf or deer. In such circumstances we may be face to face with a unicorn and not know for sure that we are. We know that a certain animal with a mane is a horse and that a certain animal with horns is a bull. We do not know what the unicorn looks like." * In the Wikipedia:Otori Tales series by Wikipedia:Lian Hearn, a kirin is brought to the Three Countries in the last book of the series, The Harsh Cry of the Heron. It is most likely a giraffe. It is left ambiguous if it is a truly mythical omen or just an animal. * Herman, a character in Wikipedia:Matthew Pearl's Wikipedia:The Last Dickens, carries a cane with a Kylin head attached to it. *In the 2010 Novel, Wikipedia:Raiju: A Kaiju Hunter Novel, Qilin is the name given to one of the two main giant monsters in the story (whether it is truely meant to be a qilin or not is not specified, though this is the only name associated with it). The monster Qilin is a kami, originally a benevolent water-god bound to a girl named Aimi, a Keeper. However, he was used by Aimi's father to clean up pollution and the pollutants corrupt him, turning him into a shape-shifting sludge monster. Qilin takes several forms, usually manifesting tendrils that mix the appearance of serpents and centipedes. His first manifested form resembles a frog and is the first form to battle Wikipedia:Raiju, the titular "hero" monster. Its next manifestation is humanoid, though only used briefly. Its third form is a gigantic cephalopod. Its fourth form is that of a water-serpent, its original form. Its final form is a gigantic reptillian creature with a crocadillian head. Film and television * In Wikipedia:Takashi Miike's Wikipedia:The Great Yokai War, the hero is bitten during a street festival by the dancer's kirin head. According to local custom that makes him the next "kirin rider", a hero who defeats malevolent yokai, and he is seen riding the kirin through the sky at the climax of the film. * In Wikipedia:Gosei Sentai Dairanger, Kazu of the Heavenly Time Star uses his Chi to manifest the power of the Kirin to become the Kirinranger and pilots the Mythical Chi Beast, Sei-Kirin. When the Sei-Kirin was adapted to the Dairanger's 1994 counterpart, the Wikipedia:Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the Kirin was renamed as the Wikipedia:Griffin Wikipedia:Thunderzord. * In the Wikipedia:Monster Hunter series, there is a monster called the Kirin, bearing a resemblance a white unicorn with the ability to control lightning.Monster Hunter on YouTube * The Kirin is one of the mythical beasts that passes through Count D's mythical petshop in Wikipedia:Pet Shop of Horrors. It is said to have changed the fate of the world several times by choosing a worthy leader for a country. The Kirin's inability to walk on living beings is compared to the ancient, crippling Chinese practice of Wikipedia:footbinding. * In Wikipedia:Hayao Miyazaki's film Wikipedia:Princess Mononoke the god of the forest has more than a passing resemblance to the kirin. Besides a physical resemblance to the mythical creature, it can also walk on water. * In the film Wikipedia:Snakes and Earrings (蛇にピアス), Shiba-san, a tattoo artist, explains the magical nature of the Kirin to Lui, including its peaceful nature and its ability to walk on grass without trampling it. He then gives Lui a tattoo of a Kirin and dragon fighting, but leaves the pupils of both creatures' eyes blank, at Lui's request. Comics and manga * In the Wikipedia:Twelve Kingdoms Wikipedia:anime series, based on the fantasy novels by Fuyumi Ono, the monarch of each kingdom is chosen by a kirin, who then becomes his (or her) principal counselor. The kirin's name is derived from the name of the kingdom plus either "ki" (male) or "rin" (female).Twelve Kingdoms Kirin * The Kirin in the manga Wikipedia:Genju no Seiza is the only deity who can tell which baby the constantly reincarnating Holy King has taken host of. He is blind and deaf, but able to sense thoughts, and thus unpopular in the palace despite the respect given to him. * In the popular manga series Wikipedia:Naruto, Sasuke Uchiha's ultimate attack is called Kirin and forces a lightning bolt to take the form of the legendary beast. * In Pokemon 4 Ever and Pokemon Zoroark Master Of Illusion, pokemon Suicune(see in games if you scroll down)is in both of the movies. Games * In the Wikipedia:Dungeons & Dragons universe, the Ki-rin are monsters in the Wikipedia:Oriental Adventures setting, cited as an example of how D&D uses influences from many places.Jonathan Rubin, "Farewell to the Dungeon Master: How D&D creator Gary Gygax changed geekdom forever," Slate (March 6, 2008).AD&D Monster Manual * In the video game series Wikipedia:Final Fantasy, Kirin is one of the Espers, or summoned monsters, in Final Fantasy VI. Kirin also makes an appearance as the strongest of the "gods" in Final Fantasy XI.FFVI Espers Kirin * It appears in the game Wikipedia:SaGa Frontier as a playable character named Kylin, the only master of "Space Magic".Saga Frontier Kylin * In Wikipedia:Digimon, Wikipedia:Kudamon's Ultimate form, Wikipedia:Qilinmon, is named after and based on the Qilin.Qilinmon (dubious) * In Wikipedia:Golden Sun: Lost Age, Kirin appears as a summon option when two or more fire djinn are equipped.Golden Sun Kirin * In the Wikipedia:computer game Wikipedia:Guild Wars Factions, players encounter both helpful Kirin charged with safeguarding certain areas, as well as several tainted Kirin as enemies.Guild Wars Factions * In the Wikipedia:Magic: The Gathering set "Wikipedia:Saviors of Kamigawa", there are five Kirin, one for each color of Magic: Infernal Kirin, Skyfire Kirin, Cloudhoof Kirin, Celestial Kirin, and Bounteous Kirin.*[[Wikipedia:MtG] Infernal Kirin] * In the free-to-play MMORPG Wikipedia:Perfect World, one of the classes a player can create, the werefox, has a humanoid Kirin form. Kirins are also available as high-end mounts players can ride on. * In the Wikipedia:Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game, a Monster Card called Cyber Kirin is based on the Qilin. * The game Wikipedia:Monster Hunter Freedom includes a unicorn-like Kirin. * In Wikipedia:Super Robot Taisen: Original Generation 2 for Wikipedia:Game Boy Advance (and its enhanced PS2 remake), one of game's antagonists, Axel Almer, uses "Code: Kirin" as his ultimate attack. So does leader of Shadow-Mirrors, Vindel Mauser ("Kirin Ne Plus Ultra"). * Wikipedia:Arceus, a legendary Wikipedia:Pokémon, and also The Pokémon God, in the popular Japanese franchise, is believed to be based on the Kirin. Another legendary Pokemon Wikipedia:Suicune, also shares some traits with the Kirin. * In Wikipedia:NetHack, the ki-rin is a mountable monster. * In the game Wikipedia:Ninja Gaiden 2 the Lunar staff is said to be wrapped in Qilin tendons and sheathed in steel. * In the game Wikipedia:ADOM Ki-rins appear as high-level monsters. * In Wikipedia:World Heroes Perfect, Ryofu's desperation move, "The Giraffe Bomber", summons a fiery Qilin that charges at the opponent. * In the MMORPG world of Wikipedia:Ultima Online, the Kirin was introduced as a passive monster that could be tamed and used as a mount by a character of reasonably developed taming skill. * In the game series Wikipedia:Monster Hunter, the Kirin is a fightable monster and craftable weapons and armor using its hide. * In Wikipedia:Touhou Project,an unused character named Rin Satsuki,which is a kirin. * In Wikipedia:Might & Magic Heroes VI, a Kirin is the highest elite unit attainable by the Sanctuary faction. W Notes Category:Mythology in popular culture Category:Asian mythology Category:Chinese culture Category:Chinese mythology Category:Chinese mythology in popular culture Category:Asian mythology in popular culture